Topalov, V. – Dominguez Perez, L.

2772 2014 · White wins (resignation, time or agreement)

A 2014 Najdorf, Topalov (2772) against Dominguez Perez (2760), locked up early: 12...Bxd5 13.exd5 hands White the bishop pair and, more importantly, a d5 pawn that shapes everything after it. The engine flags no turning point here — no move that swings the evaluation, just steady pressure. White’s accuracy of 95% against Black’s 90% is a narrow gap, but enough in a position this technical. The finish makes the point: after 41.c5 dxc5, the pawn runs to d6, then e7, tying Black’s pieces down until 47.Bc6 ends it. The lesson for club play: in this kind of Sicilian, a supported passed pawn beats looking for a combination, and consistency decides games where tactics never appear.